A candidate who backs a reunion with the EU, scrapping tuition fees, and allowing assisted dying among other policies has launched his campaign for the new Reading Central seat.
Michael Turberville, who lives in Katesgrove, has once again put himself forward as an independent candidate in the general election.
Among his policies are taxing private schools to invest in state schools, returning the NHS budget to above the EU Average and EU Median spend per capita, and ending both prescription fees and university tuition fees.
His ‘big three’ priorities in elected are providing ‘logic in government’, ‘reuniting’ with the European Union and investing in the NHS, state schools and infrastructure.
Justifying his candidacy, he said he is neither on the political left or right, but was for ‘anything that works’.
“If it works use it. If something is logical, it should pass, if it’s not logical, it should not pass,” he explained.
Like other Independent candidates, Mr Turberville has spoken out against political tit-for-tat amongst the main parties.
“Too many are tied to political party manifestos. When a person says their party will be abc or xyz in a manifesto, and the world changes, they are tied and bound to their manifesto as well as their political ideology.
“They say ‘oh no can’t do that, it is from another political party’s point of view on it.
“If something is logical use it or do it.”
Mr Turberville has an ambitious vision for development and ‘new cities’ for the country.
“For infrastructure, we desperately require Housing and other supporting infrastructure. Instead of a patch here, patch there… build new cities for three to five plus million people,” he said.
“China has shown the way to Economic Growth and Prosperity… why are we doing the exact opposite…. Oh, to personally enrich the Tory lords of the manors.”
He argued that train journeys need to be sped up as an alternative to internal UK flights.
Another policy he supports includes allowing assisted dying, which has divided moral authorities and health practitioners.
Mr Turberville said: “I fully support assisted death. My mum and dad both suffered way too long and if they had been able to take the big exit on their own, they would have, rather than waiting and waiting for it to just happen.”
Mr Turberville ran in the local elections as a candidate for the Katesgrove ward, which was won by Kate Nikulina, now a Green councillor.
His website is: www.turberville.org.uk
Also standing in Reading Central are: Adam Gillman (Trade Union and Socialist Coalition), Dave McElroy (Green), Matt Rodda (Labour), Raj Singh (Conservatives), Michael Turberville (Independent), Andrew Williams (Reform UK), Henry Wright (Lib Dem).
